In Swiss patent application Ser. No. 7854/78-6, which corresponds to U.S. Pat. No. 4,246,740 in the name of Alexis Chenevard, there is disclosed an apparatus for packing products in boxes. The apparatus includes a mold with cavities intended to initially receive the products to be boxed. The bottom of each cavity is mobile and includes a push device which is adapted to push the product contained within the cavity so that the product is positioned above the mold. Means are disclosed for drawing the products against one another and a suction device transports the products and places them in a box.
In the aforesaid Swiss patent application, the mold consists of a plate having a number of cavities positioned in a regular pattern, with spaces between the various cavities. When the objects, in particular chocolates, are pushed out of the cavities of the mold by the push devices which constitute the mobile bottoms of the cavities, the objects are, at that time, spaced apart to a greater extent than is desired for the ultimate packing of the objects in the box. Accordingly, it is necessary to draw or group the products together. Then, they are finally carried in the grouped or closed configuration by a suction tube for placement within the box.
As is generally known, certain manufacturers of chocolates and other products choose to present their products in boxes which have a number of compartments separated by partitions. These partitions are typically made of smooth or corrugated cardboard strips. The manufacturer may choose to group his chocolates or other products in the various compartments by product categories. For example, one compartment in a box of chocolates may include chocolates with nuts; another may have chocolates with cream filling; and so forth. In some instances, the manufacturer may provide the customer with a "map" of the assortment, with a description of contents of each compartment set forth inside the lid of the box or elsewhere to enable the consumer to recognize the various products in advance and to make his selection easier.
While the arrangement and apparatus described in the aforesaid Swiss patent application is well adapted for the usual boxing of chocolates, it does not take into account the packing of chocolates in boxes which have compartments separated by partitions, and it makes no particular provision for dealing with this contingency. Accordingly, in order to pack chocolates in a box in which the chocolates are separated by compartments, it might be necessary to insert the partitions by hand after the chocolates are packed in the box, or to follow some other procedure, which could result in additional time and labor costs as well as possible damaging or mishandling of the chocolates which are somewhat fragile.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for packing products such as chocolates in boxes in which partitions are to be placed between the products.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus and method which allows for the placement of the partitions without undue handling of the products.
It is another object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus and method which achieves the aforegoing objects quickly, efficiently and inexpensively.
Various other objects and advantages of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description of exemplary emodiments thereof, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in conjunction with the claims appended hereto.